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4Flutes is an independent registered charity set up in 2003 as a continuation for the ideas and previous events of Ruth Ballantyne. The ethos behind 4Flutes is to bring to the southwest performers and teachers that would usually only be available in the major British cities/counties. Since 2003 4Flutes has hosted events with leading national and international flute players such as Mike Mower, Jonathan Snowden, Clare Southworth, Ian Clarke, Paul Edmund-Davies, Gareth Mclearnon and Emma Williams to visit us and share their talent and experience with children and adults alike.

Workshop Description: We are delighted to welcome Jessica to this years event. Jessica is a truly inspirational artist and teacher with a unique perspective on being a flute player. Discover ways of making your tone sing and your heart soar in this fantastic one day event with workshops and ensemble playing.

Description: If you’re craving fresh and innovative tools to build a strong and unshakeable foundation to your playing then this workshop is for you. Spend a day with Jessica in a relaxed, friendly and supportive setting at the Wiltshire Music Centre in the gorgeous setting of Bradford on Avon. Explore and experiment with a variety of methods in which to master and (re)visit those key flute essentials such as breathing, finger technique, articulation, tone and posture. Whether you are a seasoned flute teacher in need of new teaching inspiration or are an absolute beginner, this workshop will provide a blueprint in which to build, remodel, and develop your own unique playing for years to come.

Description: Join us this Guy Fawkes Day for a Cornwall Flute Workshop. Explore tips and techniques to make your tone sparkle (just in time for the fireworks later on!).

If you’ve always wanted to tap into a beautifully resonant flute tone but are not sure how, then this flute workshop is for you! Spend a morning with American flautist and teacher Jessica in the coastal village of St. Agnes to learn techniques to simplify the mystery of a stunning tone no matter which genre you play. Replace tone development dread with confidence and delight. Learn contemporary flute techniques that will help you refine, strengthen and deepen your understanding of the tools needed to create resonance in your playing. We’ll go beyond ‘just playing long notes’ and delve into topics such as extended techniques, vibrato, dynamic control and breathwork.

PAST EVENTS

The Refreshed Flautist is a retreat designed of 4 days of music & relaxation in a beautiful setting on the North Cornish coast. Deepen your flute playing. Refresh your musicality. Rejuvenate by the sea.

Sat. 25 March 2017, 10:00 – 17:00
£65 Early bird until 1 Jan 2017
St. John’s Church Centre
222 Epsom Rd, Merrow
Guildford, GU4 7AADescription: If you’ve always wanted to tap into a beautifully resonant flute tone but are not sure how, then this flute workshop is for you! Spend a day with American flautist and teacher Jessica in Guildford to learn techniques to simplify the mystery of a stunning tone no matter which genre you play. Replace tone development dread with confidence and delight. Learn contemporary flute techniques that will help you refine, strengthen and deepen your understanding of the tools needed to create resonance in your playing. We’ll go beyond ‘just playing long notes’ and delve into topics such as extended techniques, vibrato, dynamic control and breathwork. For more info and to register, please click here

Sat. 25 February 2017, 10:00 – 17:00
£65 Early bird until 1 Jan 2017
St. Michael’s Church Hall
160a Gloucester Road
Bishopston, Bristol, BS7 8NTDescription: If you’ve always wanted to tap into a beautifully resonant flute tone but are not sure how, then this flute workshop is for you! Come visit Bristol (it’s been recently voted the best place to live in the UK!). Spend a day with American flautist and teacher Jessica in the heart of the city to learn techniques to simplify the mystery of a stunning tone no matter which genre you play. Replace tone development dread with confidence and delight. Learn contemporary flute techniques that will help you refine, strengthen and deepen your understanding of the tools needed to create resonance in your playing. We’ll go beyond ‘just playing long notes’ and delve into topics such as extended techniques, vibrato, dynamic control and breathwork. For more info and to register, please click here

Workshop Description: In this two hour hands-on workshop, Jessica will show you the basics to make some exciting sound effects on your flute called extended techniques. For more detailed information, click here

Workshop Description: If you’re craving fresh and innovative tools to build a strong and unshakeable foundation to your playing then this workshop is for you. Spend a day with innovative international flute player and teacher Jessica in a relaxed, friendly and supportive setting at the Sharrow Performing Arts Space. Explore and experiment with a variety of methods in which to master and (re)visit those key flute essentials such as breathing, finger technique, articulation, vibrato and posture. Whether you are an absolute beginner or a seasoned flute teacher in need of new inspiration, this workshop will provide a blueprint in which to build, remodel, and develop your own unique playing for years to come. To book your place and for more details, click here.

The Flowing Flautist Retreat, 16th- 18th of September 2016. St. Agnes, Cornwall, UK.This retreat is designed to to provide you with the tools and techniques help your musicality flow. Achieving a state of flow is about being ‘in the zone’ and finding the ‘magic’ in your playing so that you can tap into more joy and creativity in your unique musicianship.

This retreat is for you if… You’re wanting to find your musical flow with ease and grace. You’re feeling ‘stuck’ or ‘bored’ in your current musical patterns. You desire to learn how movement can better support artistic expression. You’re open to playful musical experimentation in a supportive, relaxed and friendly setting. You’re craving fresh and innovative approaches to interpretation and musical creativity. Click here for more info and to register.

Abstract: Despite the fact that Argentinean composer Astor Piazzolla (1921-1992) chose to use a rather normative form of accent notation within his published tango music, the language surrounding tango performance seems to indicate that there is a ‘correct’ way to interpret the accent (and the ‘swing’ it is often partnered with) that is not naturally implied in the score – that is, unless one has ‘insider’ knowledge about the genre. This paper presents an overview of the methodology used to explore the accent symbol and its differences that are said to exist between the stylistic traditions of both classical and tango accentuation in the context of Piazzolla’s 6 Tango-Etudes for Solo Flute (1987). A recording analysis of ‘non-tango’ flute players playing an excerpt of this work was made using Sonic Visualiser software. Differences in accentuation style were noted in comparison to Piazzolla’s own accentuation techniques on his bandoneón, as well as those by the author, and tango musicians Fain and Gallo. In a move away from fixed ‘either/or’ dichotomies to indicate a correct way of performing the accents, the ‘and/and’ model is introduced to explore how tango notation feeds into wider concepts of the acento largo and ‘tango swing’, which function on macro- and micro-levels for understanding the numerous creative possibilities for future tango performances.

Venue: Rolle 015

School of Humanities and Performing Arts
Faculty of Arts
University of Plymouth, UK
PL4 8AA

Description: If you have always wanted to explore playing tango music in the way you imagine it’s heard in Argentina—except the prospect feels totally unfamiliar and overwhelming to figure out, let alone actually play—this flute workshop is for you!Click herefor more details about this event + to register.

10th-11th October 2015: Grow Your Own Flute Style A workshop with Dr. Jessica QuiñonesIn partnership with Rachel Shirley and the Sheffield Flute Choir

When: This workshop is being offered on two different days:
Saturday, 10th October 2015
Sunday 11th October 2015
10am-5pm

Cost: £60

Description: If you have always wanted to be able to perform the music you adore without the fear of ‘getting it all wrong’ — except the prospect feels a long way off, let alone actually try—this flute workshop is for you!

I am delighted to announce that I have been named the winner of the NFA Graduate Research Competition in 2015 due to my research on Piazzolla + flute performance for my recent Ph.D. thesis. From the NFA site about the prize: “This award is given to a flautist who has made outstanding contributions to flute study and to expose fine new scholarly work by NFA members and to promote the value of research.”

I will be presenting a lecture recital: Moving away from fishnets and fedoras: Fresh perspectives to the interpretation and performance of Astor Piazzolla’s ‘6 Tango-Etudes for solo flute’ . Click here for the full abstract of presentation.

Monday, 20th of April 2015, 12:30 pmRecital: Astor Piazzolla’s Legend for Solo Flute + A Flute MasterclassYork St John UniversityLord Mayor’s WalkYork, Yorkshire, YO31 7EX, UKWorks for solo flute that can be linked to Astor Piazzolla’s ever- famous tango repertoire will be featured: including pieces by Bartok, Bach, Kutnowski and of course, Piazzolla. The event starts in the University Chapel.This concert will be followed by a flute masterclass delivered by Quiñones for the music department.

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Latest Reviews

‘An authoritative and informative dissection of tango performance practice… a fascinating exposé. With persuasive demonstrations of each etude, Dr. Quiñones gave a graphic depiction of the freedom we can bring to this music…’– Review by C. Britton, British Flute Society Journal, ‘Pan’.

“Jessica has the ability to shred all over sheet music !If you’re looking for a sample of her ability check out ‘Laughing with Angst’ by Paul Pinto.”-– Indabamusic.com